Leading thermal imaging solutions provider FLIR is helping the public safety sector get on board with drones. “Of all the uses of this technology, this to me is by far the most important,” says FLIR’s global sales manager and webinar presenter Randall Warnas.

The webinar offers a must-see overview for anyone connected to the public safety sector in drones: solution providers, resellers, or end users.

The Public Safety Sector

Firefighting, Law Enforcement, and Search and Rescue offer distinct use cases for thermal imaging technology, points out Warnas, “but they all share common links…not only with how they use drones and thermal imaging, but how they obtain budgets and interact with the public.”

“The sheer size of the market presents an opportunity for the drone industry.”

Firefighting is not a regional sector, Warnas says, but represents a global opportunity. There are over 34 million firefighters incidents a year in the U.S. alone. “Each of these is unique opportunity to deploy and validate technology of some kind,” says Warnas.

Warnas estimates that fewer than a thousand fire departments in the U.S. are using drones today. “We should be supporting and rewarding these early adopters by listening to their needs,” he says, pointing out that public safety uses may be the first to get permission for new applications. “These applications are the least likely to be impeded by regulations.”

“Drone technology has a proven track record of saving lives.”

The Range of Capabilities Available

FLIR’s thermal imaging technology has been used for decades – but some use cases are better known than others. While most drone industry followers have seen basic pictures of thermal imaging at work in search and rescue missions or as a firefighting tool, Warnas reviews a number of specific features that can help public safety programs achieve their goals.

The webinar covers topics including MSX Image blending, selecting the right color palette for your mission, isotherm, radiometry and best practices. Those best practices include establishing policies and procedures for drone programs and remembering, says Warnas, that they aren’t toys: “Using them responsibly is your best chance for the program to grow and last into the future.”

Use Cases

Finally, the video includes a review of use cases in public safety – which are not only inspiring but an example of how one tool can play a major role in many areas. Drones equipped with thermographic equipment offer a valuable tool that reaches across departments. Use cases reviewed include finding people, firefighting, anti-poaching programs, accident reconstruction, anti-trafficking missions, and SWAT or high-risk situation support.